Internal-combustion engine



April 15, 1930.

G. HILL INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Feb. 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l lnUerJc r April 15, 1930- G. HILL 1,754,791 I INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Feb 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 17 2 Ig y Patented Apr. 15, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE HILL, OF WEST WINDSOR, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOB TO RALPH L.

Y SKINNER, 013 DETROIT, MICHIGAN INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE v Application filed February 9, 1929. Serial No. 338,648.

My invention concerns internal-combustion engines and relates more particularly to means for sealing the pressures in the cylinders in those styles of engines employing reciprocating valves between outer and inner cylinders.

To enable those skilled in this art to fully understand the invention, I have illustrated a present preferred embodiment of the same in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and throughout the severalviews of which like reference characters have been employed to designate the same parts.

In this drawing:

Figure 1 is a substantially-central longitudinal section through one cylinder of a multi-cylinder engine on approximately the line 1--1 of Figure 3;

Figure 2 is an enlarged horizontal section on line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal section V on approximately the broken line 33 of Ejl Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section showing the details of structure of the pressure-sealing means;

Figure 5 is an edge view of the spring employed in the construction illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 of a modified arrangement of parts; and

Figure 7 is a face view of the divided circular spring used in theengine depicted in Figure 6.

Referring to these drawings, it will be apparent that each cylinder of the engine exhaust ports 16, 17, respectively, of such exterior cylinder.

Cylinder 11 is fitted with a hollow head 18 appropriately mounted thereon and depending into the upper portion of the cylinder, as depicted in Figure 1, such head accommodating the customary spark-plug 19.

That part of the head inside of the cylinder is of slightly less diameter than the latter, thus providing an annular space between them in register with the similar space be tween the two cylinders.

Conjointly occupying such circular cavities are a pair of sliding, curved or arcuate, inlet and exhaust valves 21 and22, respectively, reciprocated by suitable crank-shafts 23 and 24 and connecting-rods 25 and 26 located in the crank-case 12, these shafts being rotated at the proper speed by any approved means, not shown, inlet valve 21 having an admission-port 27 therethrough, an exhaust-valve 22 having a discharge-port 28 through it.

A split, expansible, ported sealing-ring 29 has a flat surface 31 at right-angles to its axis bearing on the cylinder surface 15 and inlet and exhaust ports 32 and 33, respectively, in substantial register with the corresponding outer cylinder-ports.

It is desirable to have the outer cylinder ports slightly wider lengthwise the cylinder than the complementary dimensions of the ports of the sealing-ring, so that the port opening and closing action of the reciprocatory valves takes place with respect to the sealing-ring ports rather than with the cylinder-ports.

Such sealing-ring split joint 34 is of the flat type, the ends of the ring having fiat, overlapping tongues so that as the ring is expanded by the gas pressure in the cylinder, such joint becomes more securely sealed and pressure-tight by reason of the inner tongue being forced outwardly against the companion, overlapping, outer tongue.

The cylinder and valve inlet-ports 16 and 27 are with advantage provided centrally with comporting bridges 35 and 36, and the sealing-ring joint 35 is located in register with and covered by such part 36, the ring being prevented from turning about its own axis by reason of a locating or holding pin 37 mounted in the cylinder-head and extendin into a recess in the inner face of the ring.

be top surface 38 of the sealing-ring is also plane or fiat and at right-angles to its axis and bearin on such surface is the lower edge oft an endless," hold-down on: confining ring 39 around the lower, reduced-diameter portion 41 of the cylinder-head 18, the two rin flQmndBibbeingmonoentric as shown; witi the under face of thev latter, which presses on the upper face of the former, at

right-angles to its axis, wherebythesealing shouldera of the cylinder-head and ona,

ring 4,4, made in two parts, cooperating with a s 1 Oulder or ledge, 45, on the hold-down- Thusthe spring, by the instrumentality of:

' the ring 39, holds the sealing ring down in compression and, gas-explosion tight, relation withthe upper. end OftllfialllllQl cylinder ;,andalike sealing connectionis aflorded between the ring 39v and theasealing-ring, but without, substantial interference with the ex? pansion ofthe latter, due to such gaseous pressure in thecylinder, against the associwatedsliding valves, resultingin securing an efi'ective sealing relation between itself and the valves, and between the latter, which it forcesoutwardly, and the wall of the outer cylinder, whereby, gases, undensubstantial 4g pressure inthe-cylinder cannot escape except through the ports-provided therefor, hence permitting the retention of ahigh compression and an efficient-operation of the-engine.

It is of distinct advantage to preclude the gaseous pressuresof compression and explosion in-tthe engine cylinder from influencing the action of the spring 42" during its ring pressing work, as otherwise the spring would have to bev strong enough to overcome such 6w, pressures while performing its otherwise useful function, and its effect on the sealing ring might-1 or'would be sufiiciently greater to interfere or hinder its; expansion which performs thehighly important sealing acaccess to the ring-44 or the'compani'on spring 423 means ofa split or, divided, crimped.

The engine-piston 48, joined to the engine crank-shaft, not shown, by the usual connecting-rod 49, reciprocates in the inner, stationary cylinder, and it and the valves, set forth above, are lubricated in any approved manner with suitable withdrawalofthe excess oil to prevent; its entrance into the ports, manifold, or combustion-chainber in the cylinder.

Theengine operates practically as, follows:

\Vhen the gaseous mixture compression or the explosion pressure occurs in the cylinder, bythe construction described, it acts in a way to cause its own sealing and to preclude its leakage, in that it expands or tends to expand, the sealing ring at the same time more effectually sealing or closing its joint 34:.

Such enlargement or, outward expansion effort ofv the ring seals the space between itself andv the valves, and, by. pressing the valves outwardly, seals the space, between, themand the outer cylinder.

The action of spring' 42 seals the joints ,be-. tween the sealing-ring and the top of the inner cylinder. and, betweentheholddown ring and the sealing ring with adequate pressureto avoid leakage or escape of gasesat these points but. without, substantial opposition to the needed outward pressure of the sealing-ring.

Inaddition, the, ringsAZ, 47 form a, fluidtight connection, between the cylinder-head.

and thehold-down ring andobviate any leak age at such point, thus precluding the pres? sure inthe cylinder from reaching the spring 42 whose only function is to holdthe sealingring inposition, allowingits expansion, but avoiding itszup and down travel: withthe, valves against which it presses.

Insteadof using the construction described above, the. modified arrangement, of, parts presented in Figures 6 and 7, may. be .used.

In placeof the elements 42. and 44,, a. divided, fiat, spring, or, two-semicircular fiat springs 51, 51, as illustrated, may be employed, with their inner margins securely seated inia shallow, external groove .52, cut in theouter round surface of the part 41: of the cylinder-head, theouter edge portionsof the spring sections bearing on a shoulder 53: of the, slightly-modified hold-down. ring, 5 4.

In this instance,the, spring sectors 51, 51 yieldingly, press the ring 574;, down on to the sealing-ring, the two constructions being the same in other respects and functioning in equivalent manners.

Those acquaintedwith this art will readily understand thatthe invention is notnecessarily limited" and restricted to sac precise and exact details ofconstruct-ion presented and thatthese may be 'modified with in comparativelywide limits without departure from the heart and-essence of=the invention as defined bytheappended claims and;

without thei-lossior saorifioe-of-rany-of itszsubs,

overlapping stantial or material benefits or advantages.

I claim: 1. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of an outer cylinder having inlet 1 and exhaust ports, an inner cylinder inside of and spaced inwardly away from said outer cylinder and supported from below with its upper end below said cylinder ports, a piston reciprocatory in said inner cylinder, a con necting-rod joined to said piston and adapted to be connected to a crank-shaft, a split expansible sealing-ring bearing on the upper end of said inner cylinder and having an joint at its split, said sealingring having inlet and exhaust ports in sub stantial register with said cylinder-ports, an endless hold-down ring bearing on the upper edge of said sealing ring, a cylinder-head for said outer cylinder, spring means bearing on said cylinder-head and hold-down ring to maintain pressure-tight bearings between said sealing-ring and inner cylinder and between said hold-down ring and sealing-ring, expansion ring means between said cylinderhead and hold-down ring preventing fluid pressures in the cylinder from reaching said spring means, inlet and exhaust valves between and slidable lengthwise of said inner and outer cylinders, and means to reciprocate said valves, the joints between said sealingring and inner cylinder and hold-down ring being at substantially right-angles to the axis of said cylinder.

2. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of an outer cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports, an inner cylinder inside of and spaced inwardly away from said outer cylinder and having a bearing surface below said cylinder ports, a piston reciprocatory in said inner cylinder, a connecting-rod joined to said piston and adapted to be connected to a crank-shaft, a split expansible sealing-ring bearing on said surface of said inner cylinder and having an overlapping joint at its split, said sealing-ring having inlet and exhaust ports in substantial register with said cylinder-ports, an endless hold-down ring bearing on the upper edge of said sealing-ring, a cylinder-head for said outer cylinder, spring means bearing on said cylinder-head and hold-down ring to maintain pressure-tight bearings between said sealing-ring and said surface of said inner cylinder and between said hold-down ring and sealing-ring, expansion-ring means between said cylinder-head and hold-down ring preventing fluid pressures in the cylinder from reaching said spring means, inlet and exhaust valves between and slidable lengthwise of said inner and outer cylinders, and means to reciprocate said valves.

3. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of an outer cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports, a second cylinder inside of and spaced inwardly away from said outer cylinder and having a bearing surface, a piston reciprocatory in said inner cylinder, a connecting-rod joined to said piston and adapted for connection to a crank-shaft, an expansible sealing-ring having ports therethrough in substantial register with said cylinder-ports bearing on said surface of said inner cylinder, a cylinder-head for said outer cylinder, means including resilient means to press said sealing-ring on such hearing surface of said inner cylinder to prevent pressure-leakage through such bearing, means to prevent the fluid pressures in said cylinder from reaching said resilient means, inlet and exhaust valves between and slidable lengthwise of said cylinders, and means to reciprocate said valves.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE HILL. 

